Cap for detachably covering outlet opening of fuel gas valve

ABSTRACT

A cap is mounted to an outlet opening of a fuel gas valve to cover the opening. The cap includes two portions that are both jointed to a splitting strip by a weakened hinge so as to selectively move from an unlocked and spaced condition to a locked condition where the cap is prevented from moving in an axial direction with respect to the outlet opening. The cap has a locking device having mated members formed on the two portions respectively, which are engageable with each other to secure the two portions in the locked condition. The splitting strip can be torn from the first and second portions to split the first and second portions for detaching the cap from the outlet opening of the fuel gas valve.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a). Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cap for covering and protecting an outlet opening of a fuel gas valve from being contaminated by foreign objects, and in particular to a cap that is detachable from the valve by simply splitting portions of the cap.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Fuel gas is widely used in household applications as well as industrial applications. The fuel gas is commonly conveyed by fuel gas conveyance pipe lines connecting a source and a gas consuming device, such as a gas range. For locations where no pipe line is available or where connection with pipe line is not possible, fuel gas tanks are the most practical way for transportation of fuel gas. The fuel gas is liquidized and filled in the tank in a pressurized condition so as to increase capacity of the tank. The tank is provided with a valve through which the fuel gas can be released for consumption. By opening the valve, communication of pressures between inside and outside the tank is established, which reduces the interior pressure of the tank so as to allow a portion of the liquidized fuel gas to vaporize back to gaseous condition and flowing out of the tank through the valve.

The fuel tank of ten comprises a cylindrical barrel with a reduced top end to which the valve is mounted. The barrel and the valve are manufactured separately and often at different sites. The valve is then shipped to the site where the barrier is manufactured to mount to the barrel for completion of the manufacturing of the fuel gas tank. The valve is provided with an outlet opening through which the fuel gas flows out of the tank and the outlet opening is susceptible to damage caused by foreign objects entering the opening. Thus, the opening must be covered during shipment.

Conventionally, a film is tightly stuck to a circumferential flange of the output opening of the valve for covering the opening. The film must be removed before use of the valve and the stuck film is difficult to remove. This causes troubles to both the manufacturers of the fuel gas tank and the suppliers of fuel gas, as well as consumers.

Therefore, it is desired to provide protection for the outlet opening of the fuel gas tank against invasion of foreign objects but allowing the protection to be readily removed before use of the fuel gas tank.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide a cap for covering an outlet opening of a fuel gas valve to protect the outlet opening against invasion of foreign objects.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a cap for covering an outlet opening of a fuel gas valve wherein the cap can be easily detached from the valve for use of the valve.

Yet a further objective of the present invention is to provide a cap that is mounted to and covers an outlet opening of a fuel gas valve and that can be readily removed by splitting apart portions thereof.

To realize the objectives, in accordance with the present invention, a cap that is detachably mounted to an outlet opening of a fuel gas valve is provided. The cap comprises two portions that are both jointed to a splitting strip by a weakened hinge so as to selectively move from an unlocked and spaced condition to a locked condition where the cap is prevented from moving in an axial direction with respect to the outlet opening. The cap comprises a locking device having mated members formed on the two portions respectively, which are engageable with each other to secure the two portions in the locked condition. The splitting strip can be torn from the first and second portions to split the first and second portions for detaching the cap from the outlet opening of the fuel gas valve.

The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.

Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cap constructed in accordance with the present invention for mounting to and covering an outlet opening of a fuel gas valve, the cap being shown in an unlocked condition with two portions separated before it is mounted to the outlet opening.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a fuel gas valve assembly having an outlet opening to which the cap in accordance with the present invention is to be mounted by closing the separate portions as indicated by arrows;

FIG. 3 is also a perspective view of the fuel gas valve, but just illustrating a portion thereof where the outlet opening is located, showing the cap of the present invention mounted to and covering the outlet opening:

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is also a perspective view of the fuel gas valve showing the cap is detached from the outlet opening thereof by tearing off a splitting strip to split the two portions of the cap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

With reference to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, a cap constructed in accordance with the present invention, generally designated with reference numeral 10, comprises two portions 12, 14, both of which are of a semi-cylindrical configuration and are substantially symmetric with respect to each other. Both portions 12, 14 comprise a semi-circular flat plate 16, 18 having a linear edge and a semi-circular edge, both being not labeled for simplicity. The portions 12, 14 comprise a wall 20, 22 circumferentially co-extensive with the semi-circular edge of each portion 12, 14 and substantially perpendicular to the flat plate 16, 18. Thus, when the two portions 12, 14 are put together with the linear edges thereof overlapping each other and thus forming a continuous surface, the walls 20, 22 of the two portions 12, 14 form a cylindrical configuration having a predetermined nominal diameter.

Each of the walls 20, 22 has a top edge, which also assumes a semi-circular configuration, substantially corresponding to the semi-circular edge of the respective flat plate 16, 18. The top edge of the wall 20, 22 forms an inward-extending flange 24, 26 that is also circumferentially co-extensive with the top edge of the wall 16, 18. The flanges 24, 26 together form a circular flange of a complete circle when the two portions 12, 14 are put together.

The walls 20, 22 of the two portions 12, 14 have opposite ends that face each other when the two portions 12, 14 are put together to form a cylinder. First ends of the walls 20, 22 are spaced from each other but are connected by a splitting strip 28. The splitting strip 28 comprises a connection portion 30 that is located between the first ends of the walls 20, 22 and is jointed to the first ends by a weakened portion 32, 34 that extends along the first ends of the walls 20, 22 to serve as hinges between the two portions 12, 14 and the splitting strip 28 so that the two portions 12, 14 are allowed to move with respect to each for closing together or for wide opening away from each other. The weakened portions 32, 34 are formed by indenting a line between the walls 20, 22 so that the weakened portions 32, 34 has reduced thickness as compared to the walls 20, 22 thereby possessing reduced strength against bending and tearing. The splitting strip 28 also comprises a holding tab 36 connected to the connection portion 30 for hand gripping by a user to tear the connection portion 30 from the walls 20, 22 along the weakened portions 32, 34.

Second ends of the walls 20, 22 form locking means that secures the two portions in a closed condition.

Also referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the cap 10 is provided to mount to a fuel gas valve, which is designated with reference numeral 100 in the drawings. The valve 100 has a cylindrical extension 102 forming at a free end thereof an outlet opening 104 that is surrounded by a circumferential rib 106. The diameter of the cylinder formed by the walls 20, 22 of the two portions 12, 14 of the cap 10 is slightly greater than an outside diameter of the circumferential rib 106 of the valve 100, while the circular flange formed by the inward-extending flanges 24, 26 of the walls 20, 22 of the portions 12, 14 has an inside diameter that is slightly greater than the cylindrical extension 102 of the valve 100 but smaller than the outside diameter of the circumferential rib 106 of the valve 100. Thus, the two portions 12, 14 of the cap 10 are fit over the outlet opening 104 and are secured together by the locking means provided at the second ends of the walls 20, 22, wherein the flanges 24, 26 are located behind the circumferential rib 106 while the flat plates 16, 18 cover the opening 104. In such a locked condition, the cap 10 is prevented from detaching from the outlet opening 104 of the valve 100 by the circumferential rib 106 that engages the flanges 24, 26 when an attempt to move the cap 10 away from the outlet opening 104 in axial direction of the cylindrical extension 102 is made and thus restricting further axial movement of the cap 10.

Referring to FIG. 6, to remove the cap 10 from the outlet opening 104 of the valve 100, a user must firmly hold the holding tab 36 of the splitting strip 28 and forcibly tear the splitting strip 28 along the weakened portions 30, 32 to thereby removing the splitting strip 28 and thus splitting the two portions 12, 14. In this way, the cap 10 is removed from the outlet opening 104 of the valve 100.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3-5, the hook-and-pawl locking means in accordance with the illustrated embodiment comprises a first device 40 formed on the second end of one of the walls, for example the wall 20, and a second device 42 formed on the second end of the other one of the walls, for example the wall 22, and engageable with the first device 40 in a non-releasable manner to secure the two portions 12, 14 of the cap 10 together.

The first device 40 comprises a circumferential extension 44 projecting from the second end of the wall 20 and having a free end forming two hooks 46 on vertically opposite sides thereof. The hooks 46 are extended in opposite directions. Preferably, the hooks 46 are inclined in an outward and backward direction with respect the free end of the circumferential extension 44. If desired, the hooks 46 can be made slightly resilient, but not necessary to be so.

The second device 42 comprises a rectangular frame mounted to an outside surface of the wall 22 at the second end thereof. The rectangular frame comprises two side members 48 perpendicularly extending from the outside surface of the wall 22 and a cross member 50 substantially parallel to the wall 22 and extending between the side members 48 and delimiting an entry space for the hooks 46 of the first device 40. The cross member 50 has an inside surface opposing the wall 22 and forming two projections 52 spaced from each other by a distance sufficient to accommodate the circumferential extension 44, preferably in a snug manner. The projections 52 serve as pawls that are engageable with the hooks 46 so as to secure the first and second devices 40, 42 together.

To facilitate engagement between the hooks 46 and the projections 52, the projections 52 are made wedge-shaped, as best seen in FIG. 5. The wedge-shaped projections 52 have an inclination 54 serving as a camming surface to guide the engagement of the hooks 46 with the projections 52. In this respect, the cross member 50 on which the projections 52 are formed is preferably made slightly resilient to allow slight outward displacement of the projections 52 in the course that the hooks 46 go into engagement with the projections 52.

It is apparent that the projections 52 can be alternately formed on the outside surface of the wall 22 or provided on both the wall 22 and the cross member 50.

It is also apparent that resiliency of the hooks 46, if any, can be of help for engagement between the hooks 46 and the projections 52.

If desired, both portions 12, 14 are provided with an arm of force to facilitate closing the portions 12, 14 together and engaging the hooks 46 with the projections 52. In the embodiment illustrated, the second end of the wall 20 has a radial extension 56 that extends in a radial direction and is substantially perpendicular to the wall 20. This radial extension 56 serves as the arm of force for the portion 12. For the portion 14, the side members 48 of the second device 42 are extended beyond the cross member 50 to be substantially equal to the radial extension 56 of the portion 12. The extended side members 48 are thus serving as the arm of force for the portion 14. Preferably, an additional cross member 58 extending between free ends of the extended side members 48 to provide a support for a finger of a user that applies a force to the arm of force of the portion 14, while the radial extension 56 of the portion 12 forms an enlarged end, also serving as a support for another finger of the user that applies a force to the portion 12.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention which is intended to be defined by the appended claims. For example, the portions 12, 14 of the cap 10 are not necessary to be symmetric with respect to each other and can be of any suitable configurations provided the flanges 24, 26 of the walls 20, 22 can surround the outlet opening of the valve and axial movement of the cap 10 can be restricted by the circumferential rib of the valve.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 

1. A cap adapted to mount to and cover an outlet opening of a fuel gas valve, comprising: first and second portions each comprising a flat plate having a first edge and a second edge, the first edges being abuttingly engageable with each other to form a continuous surface for covering the outlet opening of the fuel gas valve, a wall being formed along the second edge of each flat plate of the portions and substantially perpendicular to the flat plate, each wall having a top edge forming an inward-extending flange, each wall having first and second ends; a splitting strip arranged between first ends of the walls and connected to the first ends of the walls with weakened portions serving as hinges to allow the first and second portions to move with respect to each other from an unlocked condition where the first and second portions are opened away from each other to a locked condition where the first and second portions are closed together and to allow tearing of the splitting strip from the walls; and locking means that secures the first and second portions together when the first and second portions are in the locked condition; wherein the flanges of the walls of the first and second portions are configured to surround, at least partly, the outlet opening of the valve and engageable by a rib formed on an outside surface of the outlet opening when the first and second portions are in the locked condition, so as to prevent movement of the cap with respect to the valve.
 2. The cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weakened portions comprise an indentation between each wall and the splitting strip.
 3. The cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the splitting strip comprises an expanded extension beyond the walls to serve as a finger holding tab by which fingers of a user firmly grip to tear the splitting strip.
 4. The cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inward-extending flanges of the walls form a complete circle when the first and second portions are secured together in the locked condition.
 5. The cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking means comprises a first device provided on the second end of the wall of first portion and a second device provided on the second end of the wall of first portion second portion, the second device being engageable with first device to secure the first and second portions together.
 6. The cap as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first device comprises hooks and the second device comprises pawls that are engageable with the hooks to secure the first and second portions together.
 7. The cap as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first device comprises a first extension projecting from the second end of the wall of the first portion in a circumferential direction, the first extension having a free end on which two hooks are formed for engagement with the pawls of the second device.
 8. The cap as claimed in claim 7, wherein the second device comprises at least one side member perpendicularly extending from the wall of the second portion at the second end of the wall and a cross member supported by the side member and spaced from the wall of the second portion to delimit an entry space for the first extension of the first device, the cross member having an inside surface opposing an outside surface of the wall, projections being formed on at least one of the an inside surface of the cross member and an outside surface of the wall to serve as pawls for engagement with the hooks of the first device.
 9. The cap as claimed in claim 8, wherein the pawls have an inclination serving as a camming surface to facilitate engagement of the hooks with the pawls.
 10. The cap as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second portions are both provided with an arm of force to allow easy application of an external force for closing the first and second portions together.
 11. The cap as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first and second devices of the locking means are both provided with an arm of force to allow easy application of an external force for closing the first and second portions together.
 12. The cap as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first and second devices of the locking means are both provided with an arm of force to allow easy application of an external force for closing the first and second portions together, and wherein the arm of force of the first portion comprises a second extension projecting from the second end of the wall of the first portion in a radial direction and the arm of force of the second portion comprises an extension from the side member of the second device. 